Alone
by Sapphiire
Summary: Han encounters a dark,depressed Luke in a bar. A new Sith lord is revealed...Set directly after episode VI. Chapter 3 has been revised. Reviews welcome!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or its affiliates. This a non-profit work.

Note: This story is set shortly after eps. VI (Return of the Jedi)

Alone

Chapter I

"Reload."

The bartender spared a quick glance at the cloaked man before sliding another drink towards him.

From beneath the dark folds of his robes, the man contemplated the murky blue contents of the glass. After a moment, he tipped his head back to swallow it. "Reload."

***

Han Solo wiped a sweaty palm on his already damp pants. He smiled at the less then friendly look on the face of the Barabel sitting across from him. Han glanced at his cards nonchalantly. _Not bad,_ he thought. Finally, the Barabel slammed down his cards. Han barely contained his sigh of relief.

"Well, looks like I win again." Han grinned as he began to sweep the credits towards himself. The Barabel's jaws clicked with an ominous snap. "I don't think sssoo human." He hissed.

Han's hand flew to his blaster. Han spoke soothingly. "Woah, no hard feelings, right pal?" The Barabel snarled.

Suddenly, something caught Han's eye. "What the…" he muttered. Han stood up. "Listen, take the money-too easy to get anyway." Han grinned again. The Barabel gave a low growl, but quickly snatched the credits into its long claws.

Turning away from the table, Han narrowed his eyes at the figure seated at the bar. "It couldn't be…" The man leaned back in his chair; for a moment his cloak opened partway. Han's eyes widened as he saw the flash of a silver lightsaber handle. _What the heck is Luke doing here?_ Han strolled casually towards the bar.

"Luke?" Han asked uncertainly. Luke's shoulders tensed. "What do you want Han?" Han paused at Luke's cold tone. He watched as Luke threw his head back to swallow the full glass in front of him.

Han gave a grunt of surprise. "Never knew you could drink like that." He said mildly. Luke smiled bitterly. "There's a lot you don't know about me, Han." Luke said in a slightly slurred voice. He slammed his glass down. "Another," he called to the bartender.

Han eyed the numerous empty glasses surrounding Luke. He coughed. "Hey Luke, maybe you've had enough." Luke picked up the tumbler and raised it to his lips. "Not yet," he muttered.

Han put a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Look, kid-"Suddenly, Luke was out of his chair and had Han slammed against a wall. His arm pressed against Han's throat. "Don't call me 'kid'." Luke spat. Han struggled to breathe as he stared into Luke's fevered eyes.

_This is it,_ he thought. _I'm dead. _ All at once, the pressure on Han's throat disappeared. Han crumpled to the ground, gasping. A breath of air brushed him as Luke's robes whipped past.


	2. Chapter 3

Alone

Chapter III

Jorus K'dar leaned back casually in his chair, discreetly keeping an eye on the merchandise seated at the bar. _This is a far sight easier than the last assignment I had,_ he mused. K'dar breathed in the heady scents permeating the smoky air. _I could get used to this._

He tore a piece off his nerf steak with relish. Wiping a dribble of juice off his chin, he waved the bartender over. The burly man shuffled over. "Yeah?" He spat in a gruff voice. "You got any absinthe?" The bartender wrinkled his heavy brow. K'dar growled in exasperation. "Just bring me ale, and make it fast." The bartender nodded and wandered off.

A few minutes later, a man slammed down a mug in front of K'dar, soaking his shirt. "Watch it," K'dar snarled. The man grunted an apology and disappeared around the counter.

K'dar sipped at his mug of ale, then spat it out in revulsion when he felt something squirm between his teeth. The local brew left something to be desired, he thought, disgusted.

As the Devaronian contemplated the merits of bringing his own drink, he almost failed to notice the sudden exit of his target, Luke Skywalker. He cursed under his breath as he nearly tripped over his chair in his haste to follow.

Once outside, K'dar cast his eyes around the street, frowning. Catching sight of the tail end of a cloak, he sped up in pursuit. Rounding the alleyway, he smiled as he saw a cloaked figure hunched against a wall. _Got you, _he thought.

K'dar felt a light tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Rodian in cheesy spandex. "Wanna buy a deathstick?" The Rodian asked hopefully. Rolling his eyes, K'dar silently switched on his vibroblade. The Rodian threw up his hands. "Hey," he said, a nervous smile playing across his lips. "Some other time, eh? I'll give you a special deal." The Rodian rapidly vanished into the gloom of a nearby ally.

_Idiot. I never liked Rodians. Stupid entrepreneurs. _Turning around, K'dar silently cursed the Rodian and every one of his infuriating species. He'd lost the Jedi. _Damn it. _Muttering obscenities, K'dar sped off in pursuit.

Panting, K'dar slowed to a stop_._ The Jedi was nowhere to be seen.

The comlink at K'dar's hip began to chirp incessantly. Bracing himself, K'dar raised the comlink to his mouth.

"Have you found him?" Darth Cassius' cold monotone rang in the still night air. K'dar licked his lips. "Lord Cassius, what an unexpected pleasure," he said in what he hoped was a cool tone of voice. He obstinately ignored the trickle of cold sweat running down his back.

"Dispense with the pleasantries bounty hunter. I expect you on my ship with a full report in twenty-four hours." K'dar swallowed. "But my lord-" Cassius broke him off. "Twenty-four hours." The comlink went dead.

K'dar felt a chill feeling wash over him as he made his way to his ship.

_later_

Darth Cassius, heir to the Sith, gazed down at the scene below him with the calculating coolness of an eagle watching its prey. Bounty hunters, mercenaries, and ex-stormtroopers milled about; safely unaware of their master's eyes on them.

_Pathetic. Like ants swarming around their ruined nest,_ Darth Cassius thought disgustedly.

Though he sensed a presence behind him, Cassius didn't turn. _Let him sweat for a bit. _Besides, he hadn't finished his meditation yet. The man behind him shifted uncomfortably. "My Lord?" The man asked nervously. Cassius felt his jaw tighten. He absently fingered his lightsaber, considering the loss the captain's death would bring.

"What is it, Captain?" Cassius slowly revolved his chair around to face the trembling man kneeling at the foot of the platform. The man raised his head. "The bounty hunter has arrived, Lord Cassius."

Beneath the shroud-like hood of his robe, Cassius smiled. At last, some good news. "Show him in."

Jorus K'dar tried not to wince at the loud groaning coming from his ship, the _Nexu, _as he attempted to coax her intolanding. With a sharp jerk, the ship touched the ground. K'dar cursed, sure the snapping sound he'd just heard was the loose piece in the engine.

_Piece of junk,_ he thought. Never should've trusted an YT-2400. Maybe Cassius would give him a bonus to continue the mission. He let out the strange yelp that was his species' laugh. _I'll be lucky to get out of this alive._

K'dar waited as the docking ramp lowered. Steeling himself, he walked down. _Here goes nothing,_ he thought miserably. Straitening his shoulders, he strode towards an officer.

"I'm here to see Lord Cassius. I have some information for him." K'dar said in what he hoped was a confident tone of voice. The officer, a lieutenant from the tags, merely leered at the lightly smoking ship that was the _Nexu._

"I'm afraid Lord Cassius is much too busy for the likes of _you_, bounty hunter," the lieutenant sneered. K'dar shook his head as he pulled out his blaster. "I really didn't want this to get messy," he sighed.

The lieutenant's eyes widened. "I-I'll call the captain immediately, sir." The lieutenant stammered. K'dar nodded at the comlink on the lieutenant's belt. "Tell him it's Jorus K'dar." The lieutenant dipped his head in acknowledgement as he drew out his comlink. "If you'll just wait here sir," The lieutenant walked towards an intercom mounted on a wall nearby.

A few minutes later, the lieutenant returned. He had a new look of respect in his eyes as he approached. "If you come this way, Lord Cassius will see you now," the lieutenant gestured to an elevator. "Yippee," K'dar muttered as he followed the lieutenant into the elevator.

The elevator let out into a dimly lit hallway. "Through that door sir," The lieutenant told him. K'dar said nothing. After a moment, his ears heard the elevator shut with a very final sound. _I should've out of this when I had the chance. _K'dar worked his tongue around his suddenly dry mouth before moving. The click from the heels of K'dar's boots echoed loudly in the hall as he slowly walked forward. Reaching the door, K'dar hesitated. "Enter." The unmistakable voice of the Darth Cassius gave K'dar a start of surprise. Squaring his shoulders, K'dar opened the door into the Sith lord's domain.

K'dar's first impression was of the simplicity. The room consisted of dark floors made of some kind of stone, completely bare. The lighting was sparse, leaving much of the room in shadow. Deep red lights only added to the overall eeriness of the place. A steel staircase wound up towards an observation deck. The only furniture in the room was a throne-like chair set on a platform in the back of the room.

K'dar moved towards the throne, his throat suddenly dry. He could see a figure seated on the throne, but couldn't see more than the bottom half of his face. Darth Cassius, for it could only be Darth Cassius, didn't move. K'dar waited, uncertain.

The Sith lord's deep voice broke the silence. "I trust you have secured the location of our young Jedi friend by now." It wasn't a question. K'dar tried to ignore the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "He-he escaped my lord," K'dar tasted the metallic tang of blood as he chewed on the inside of his cheek.

The silence was deafening. K'dar's increasingly heavy breathing seemed to boom in the dim shadows of the chamber. After what seemed an eternity, Darth Cassius stood up. "I thought I'd given you a fairly easy task. Especially for a bounty hunter of your…. _prestige." _The Sith lord's voice was dangerously friendly. K'dar took step back.

The_ snap-hiss _of a lightsaber slicing through the air sent K'dar a further pace back. Darth Cassius studied the handle of the scarlet lightsaber in his gloved hands. "I have always detested dealing with your kind. So predictable. Weak. But then, good help is so hard to find these days." Before K'dar had even taken his next breath the lightsaber was up against his throat.

The last thing Jorus K'dar ever saw were the burning yellow eyes of the Sith; gleaming with dark pleasure.


	3. Chapter 4

Alone

Chapter IV

"NOOOO!" Luke Skywalker bolted upright in his bed, breathing heavily. Damp sheets lay twisted about his legs. Icy beads of sweat ran in small rivulets down his back. _Just a dream,_ Luke thought. He ran a trembling hand through his hair.

Luke slowly leaned back into his cot. His eyes roved the interior of the dark, dingy room, trying to recall how he got there. The intense throbbing behind his eyes wasn't helping matters.

Hazy images of his dream-at least he thought it was a dream- slowly came back to him. A smoky cantina…the burning in his throat from too much alcohol. Throwing someone against a wall…Han? Luke sighed, trying to sort through the cobwebs. A narrow alleyway…someone following him.

Luke stumbled his way to the sink. He turned the faucet on full blast and splashed the cold water across his face and neck. Luke stared at his cloudy reflection in the dirt encrusted mirror. Shaggy light brown hair framed an entirely too pale face. Dark, bruise-like circles lined his overly bright eyes.

Luke lurched back into the bedroom, his steps still shaky. There wasn't much in it. Luke's dark robes and tunic lay crumpled in a corner. His lightsaber rested in the folds of the robe. A few credits and an ID were scattered on a thin metal table.

Luke pulled his undershirt over his head, then his tunic. He stared at his lightsaber for a moment before clipping it on his belt. Grabbing the credits and the ID, Luke excited the room.

Luke stepped outside, squinting in the bright sunlight. The sun was already high on the horizon. Luke strolled through the crowded market, weaving around the various aliens searching for the next great bargain.

Growls, screams, and whistles all melded in the air to create the typical noisy atmosphere of a morning in the market.

The exotic scents and perfumes woke up Luke's senses, finally bringing him to full alertness. It also reminded him of his growling stomach. The scent of frying nerf sausages wafted through an open window at _Larson's Diner_.

Luke casually strolled into the diner, heading towards the counter. A group of Bith played an upbeat tune in the corner. Their lead singer, an Ithorian, belted out the limericks. Luke smiled to himself. It was almost like the cantina back home, though the characters weren't quite the shady stuff found in Mos Eisley.

A Besalisk moved out from behind the counter. He had a broad grin on his face. "A Jedi! Haven't seen your kind in a while! Figured you'd all died out." the Besalisk's deep voice was friendly. "I'm Larson, pleasure to meet you Jedi…?"

Luke smiled and took the Besalisk's extended hand. "Luke Skywalker." The Besalisk's eyes widened. "_Skywalker_? Here?" Larson shook his head in disbelief. Luke laughed lightly at his expression. "Even a Jedi has to eat," Luke grinned. Larson gave a hearty laugh and slapped Luke on the back. Luke stumbled slightly from the force behind the blow. "Well, you can have whatever you like, on me."

After ordering a dustcrepe and nausage, Luke sat down at one of the tables to wait.

A familiar looking figure entered the diner. Luke stood up. "Han!" Han looked around. Spotting Luke, a strange look passed over his face. Luke strode forward with a smile on his face. "It's good to see you Han," The same odd expression appeared on Han's face. "Luke. You certainly seem more…yourself today," Luke gave him a confused look. "Compared to what?" Han shook his head. "Never mind. What brings you here?"

Luke shrugged. "Breakfast?" He laughed. "Actually, I'm looking into sidi gourds." Han raised his eyebrows. "You, the famous Jedi knight, are investigating _fruit?"_ Han asked incredulously. Luke chuckled. "Not exactly. These gourds are special-at least according to the Hutts." Han frowned. "What do you mean?" Luke was interrupted by the ding of a bell. "Ah, that's my breakfast. Join me?" Han followed Luke over to a secluded booth.

Luke dug into his dustcrepe with relish. Han gave a light cough. "You were saying?" He prompted. Luke glanced up. "Oh, right. Sorry, haven't eaten in a while. Drinking on the other hand…" Luke muttered to himself. Han didn't say anything, but carefully avoided looking Luke in the eye.

Luke shook his head and continued. "Lately the Hutts have been receiving large shipments of sidi fruits. Rather unusual considering their typical diet." Han grimaced. "Yeah, no kidding. Jabba loved those bits of slime he called 'food'."

"I assume you're familiar with fire gems?" Luke put down his fork, looking at Han intently. Han shrugged. "I've dealt with them a time or two," his look was slightly too innocent. Luke gave a small smile. "Then you're familiar with their considerable value." Han snorted. "That's an understatement."

Luke leaned forward. "The Hutts' profits from the trade of sidi fruits have recently skyrocketed-as have their relations improved with the remnants of the Empire." Han leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Huh. Say the Empire got a hold the fire gems, they'd never trade with scum like the Hutts." Han scoffed. "Besides, Empire needs the money more than the Hutts do anyway." Luke dipped his head in agreement. "Well, not as much as the Alliance does." Han smirked. "Let me guess; if we can find these fire gems before the Hutts get their slimy hands on 'em…" Luke grinned. "Exactly."

The Kubaz stroked its proboscis-like mouth thoughtfully. Giving the small wiggle that passed for his species' smile, it slipped silently out of the diner.


End file.
